Cry Big Sister
by blueturtle14
Summary: "Suddenly I knew what had been in that bottle. I knew what that strange metallic taste was in Marko's mouth… Blood." -Izzy Frog has spent years running her parents comic book shop with her two younger brothers. That is until she falls in with a new crowd and her life is suddenly transformed. Will the arrival of two new kids save her and Star from an eternity as vampires?
1. Prologue

**AN: This is my first Lost Boys Fanfic. I will try to update regularly and hope any readers enjoy :D.**

**Disclaimer: I do NOT own Lost Boys **

**Prologue-**

The Santa Carla boardwalk was my least favourite place on Earth.

It was always so crowded and loud. Floods of people streamed up and down, yelling to each other, cheering on the rare occasion that they managed to win something on a game or screaming as they rode the rollercoasters. The worst thing about all the noise was that it never ended; it just carried on all through the day and night.

Another reason why I hated the boardwalk so much was the people who- like my family- made a living there. Most of them were conmen, running games they knew no one could win. The man who ran the piercing stall had no training and just stuck a needle in whilst hoping for the best.

My earliest memory of the boardwalk was of first moving in to the comic book shop my parents had bought. I'd been seven years old and my parents had purchased the shop cheaply and decided to sell comics there. They were ex-hippies but still dressed like it was the sixties. The memory was of a night when we were stocking up the shelves with comic books, having moved into the shop only a week earlier and preparing to open for business for the first time the next day. My brothers- six year old Edgar and five year old Alan- had been carelessly chasing each other through the half stocked aisles under the careful watch of my mother. I had been sat near the door, listening to the alien commotion of the midday boardwalk. A family of four had been strolling along when one of the stall attendants- a young man with frizzy red hair- had yelled for the father to 'try and win his kids a toy' but the man had ignored him and walked on. The results of this were that the store holder had begun shouting words that I later discovered to be pretty vulgar profanity at him. My father had swept me up and carried me away from the door, telling me not to repeat anything I'd just heard.

That was back when my parents had actually cared enough about my brothers and I to keep an eye on us. For the first few years, they ran the comic book shop with a watchful eye but when I was twelve, they got back into drugs and from then spent every second either in bed or passed out behind the counter. Edgar, Alan and I had learned to run the shop pretty quickly: we had, after all, watched our parents do so for years.

Being the oldest had always made me feel more protective of my brothers so I tried to run the shop for as long as possible (even though Edgar and Alan clearly knew more about comics than I did). I lost my friends because I could never go out and have fun with them, but I didn't care; I had my brothers. We were always a team against the world. That was until I started spending time with some new 'friends'.

This new crowd was defiantly not the type that any normal parents would approve of but my parents didn't care what I did and I needed a break from being shut inside the comic book store, earning money for my parents. Maybe it was wrong to leave Edgar and Alan in charge of the store so much but they didn't seem to mind and I had a craving for the freedom that came with my new friends.

Until one night when everything had changed. Forever.

It was New Years Eve 1986 and I had met up with them on the beach under the boardwalk. They had been laughing about God knows what, sat on the back of their motorbikes and drinking some kind of cheap alcohol. David was sat proud and tall, the undisputed leader of the group. Star- a girl they'd taken in about a week after I'd started spending time with them- was sat behind him, sharing space on the motorbike. She looked a little out of place but I probably didn't blend in as well as I thought I did.

"Hey, guys!" I called to them, coming to a stop a few feet from the bikes.

"Hey, babe." Marko greeted, crossing the sand between his bike and me. He closed the distance between us and pulled me in for a kiss. A kiss that tasted mainly of beer and smoke but with a slightly metallic undertone I couldn't quite place. I hated kissing Marko but if it kept me in with the gang then I could force myself to bear it; it was a small price to pay for the thrill of being with them.

Marko had been the one to introduce me to his friends. I'd met him when I'd been wondering the boardwalk in August 1986. I'd just turned sixteen and decided I could take an odd night off for a late celebration of the birthday that had happened weeks earlier. I'd met Marko and he'd been nice enough, we spent crazy nights running around Santa Carla and he always found something interesting to do. In September he'd introduced me to his friends- and a week later Star- and then he'd changed. He'd started ignoring me, paying attention only when he wanted a kiss, a hand to hold or someone to show off in front of. I would have stopped hanging out with them but I enjoyed the freedom their company promised.

"Hi, Izzy." Star greeted.

"Hey, Star." I returned her greeting, grateful that I could escape from Marko's arms around my waist and give Star a hug.

"Hey, Izzy, we're going up to a new year party," Paul informed me, "Wanna come?"

"Sure." I shrugged.

We spent another hour or so wasting time on the beach and then we decided to go to the party. Once I'd mounted Marko's bike and felt him ignite the engine with life, I knew that it had been worth the wait they'd inflicted upon me. The wind in my face sent an adrenaline rush through my body and I felt free for the first time in weeks. I clung tighter to Marko as we rounded a corner and felt his long blonde hair brush my face. I had been slightly disappointed when we stopped but the party was in full swing.

"Come on." Marko instructed, snaking an arm around my waist.

We followed David and Dwayne inside, the six of us staying close together as we surveyed the atmosphere. People were drinking like there was no tomorrow, screaming as they jumped around on the dance floor. It was getting late and mothers dragged their overly excited kids towards the exit.

"See you at midnight, ladies." David said and he took off, becoming lost in the crowd within seconds.

"A dance, Isabelle?" Marko asked.

A surge of anger rushed through me at hearing my real name, "Do not call me Isabelle."

Marko chuckled, "Sorry."

"Come on, let's get a drink." I hear Dwayne mutter and he vanished with Paul and Marko.

I shared a look with Star, questioning how we'd ended up abandoned by all four boys. She smiled and dragged me onto the dance floor, letting the crowd swallow us up. That was how we passed the night and then made our way outside for the midnight fireworks display like David had instructed.

As the six of us stood under the night sky, with fireworks painting it like a canvas and the promise of a new year and a new start stretching out in front of us, I realised that maybe I could become close to these guys. I knew that this was the time for resolutions and I decided that I would put a fair amount of time into helping my brothers with the shop but would make sure I had some time for fun as well…

We returned to the beach after the party and I decided I should go home because it was well past two in the morning and Edgar and Alan would be worried.

"Hold on, Iz." Dwayne stopped me, "We've got something we want to show you girls."

"Okay, but make it quick." I sighed, thinking of home and my warm, cosy bed.

David handed Star a wine bottle that she took a sip of. When she passed it on to me, I took a sip and felt a strange sensation as the wine hit my tongue. It had a strange taste: not pleasant but not bad either.

"Okay?" I was getting confused, "I guess I'll see you guys soon."

"Izzy." David almost snapped and I stopped walking and retraced my footprints across the sand, "We have something to show you."

I was becoming more conscious of the time with every second that ticked by but sat down on the sand in between Star and Marko.

"We haven't been completely honest with you girls." David started, "You see, we're not what you think we are."

"What do you mean?" Star asked.

"You mean what are we, because once you feed you'll be just like us." David corrected her.

"Stop pissing about David." I snapped, "I have a home to go to."

"That wine, has changed you into one of us." David said.

Star was becoming visibly scared and I could feel my hands shaking but I tried to keep emotion out of my eyes as David looked at Dwayne for elaboration.

"We party all night, sleep all day and never grow old." Dwayne began, "And we never die… We're vampires."

"Are you drunk?" I demanded. They couldn't be serious.

Star screamed and I turned to see David staring at us. But it wasn't David, or not the David I was used to seeing. He had fangs that looked like they could do some serious damage and his eyes looked demonic. Everything was true.

I didn't have time to register my thoughts before I was on my feet and running up the beach but I didn't make it ten feet before Marko grabbed me around the waist and swung me into the sand. As I lay there, trapped in Marko's arms, the same thoughts rebounded in my head. I had spent the past five months of my life with monsters. The stories my brother so strongly believed in were true and I had been pulled into it. The prospects of a happy new year were gone, replaced by an endless tunnel of bleak uncertainty. David had said that Star and I would become like them and suddenly I knew what had been in that bottle. I knew what that strange metallic taste was in Marko's mouth… Blood.


	2. Chapter 1

**Chapter 1**

I hadn't seen a movie for five months and we had not got a TV but still I followed the boys into the video store. They weren't going in for videos anyway.

The owner of the only video store in Santa Carla was Max and his eyes followed us as we entered the store. I didn't know exactly what had happened but Paul had told me that they'd been barred from the store and God only knows what had possessed me to join the boys in the store rather than go down to the beach with Star.

"Excuse me?" A woman entered the store, dragging a terrified boy behind her. He was wiping at his tear stained eyes and had a tight grip on the woman's hand, "I wonder if you could help us, this little boy is lost and we were wondering if his mother might be in here."

"I don't really know-" Max began mumbling.

"Terry!" A woman- presumably the boy's mother- exclaimed as she entered. I couldn't tell if she was trying to convey anger because there was too much relief in her tone.

"Thank you, I was so worried." She sighed, giving Terry a hug.

"There you are." Max handed the boy a lollipop and smiled down at the reunited pair. I couldn't seem to figure Max out, I had only spoken to him a handful of times- and very briefly- when he'd come across as grumpy but I witnessed a few moments like this that changed my cloudy perception of him.

Terry and his mother left after bidding goodbye to Max and the woman who'd found Terry. I allowed my feet to follow behind Dwayne as they walked towards the counter but kept my eyes on the front of the store where Max and the woman were stood.

"We only come here to watch one thing." Paul laughed as the boys eyed up the store assistant behind the counter. By now I was really wondering why I had come here.

We continued walking, following in procession behind David and were almost at the exit when Max's voice stopped us. His tone was so different from the tone he used to talk to Terry and his customers.

"I told you not to come in here." He didn't shout but there was so much warning in his tone that he didn't need to.

We all stopped, the boys had smirks threating to break across their faces and I just kept my eyes fixed on the ground. After a few seconds, David led us silently from the shop into the cool breeze Santa Carla offered as a reward for a day in the summer heat.

Paul and Marko were still laughing about the incident in the video store whilst David and Dwayne mounted their bikes.

"You coming?" David demanded running out of patience quickly.

Obediently, Paul and Marko stopped laughing and climbed onto their bikes, following David's word like sheep did a shepherd.

"Izzy, are you coming?" Paul asked.

I was all set to follow them but the beach and the boardwalk were beckoning. I could faintly hear music drifting from the beach and I was desperate to answer its call. Heavy stares lingered on me as the boys waited for my answer.

"I'm gonna head up to the boardwalk, I'll see you guys later."

David kicked his engine into life and started driving, leaving an invisible path that he knew his gang would follow. I didn't know where they were going; to cause more trouble probably.

"We're headed up that way; Star will be meeting us soon. I could give you a ride." Paul suggested.

I smiled and nodded, thankful that I wouldn't have to walk even though the distance was tiny. I tried to enjoy the ride but I couldn't: for some reason my mind kept wondering back to Terry. He reminded me so much of Laddie, a little boy that David had turned three months earlier. I didn't try to understand David's reasons for recruiting someone so young but it had something to do with Star.

Was Laddie ever like Terry? Did he have a mother like Terry's who was frantically searching for him? Whoever she was she wouldn't be as lucky as Terry's mother had been…

The Santa Carla boardwalk had become my favourite place on Earth. The noise drowned out my thoughts and stopped me from worrying about the change my life had taken. I could pretend that nothing had changed and I still ran the store for my useless parents.

But it wasn't true.

No matter how much I pretended I had to return to reality eventually. I didn't run a comic book store for my parents anymore, I was a half vampire and no matter how much I tried to deny it I would inevitably give into the endless thirst for human blood and become another trophy in the collection David so laughably called a family.

I had done well so far, Star and I had managed to resist blood for five months. But summer had arrived and made everything so much harder. So many tourists to enjoy the California heat. So many exposed necks.

"Thanks, Paul." I said, hopping off the bike as we pulled to a stop behind Dwayne. I had never been so glad to get off a bike in my life.

"Don't be long." David warned as I started for the boardwalk.

"I won't," I promised, trying to recover from the icy shiver David's tone had sent through my core, "I'll just try and find Star and then I'll be back."

Endless noise invaded my ears as I started along the familiar boardwalk. Noise that had never been more welcome. For the first time ever I felt like the boardwalk was my home and not the place I was condemned to spend my days. I had been on the boardwalk a number of times since New Year but this time felt different.

The music from the beach was louder now and I followed it like I was one of the children of Hamelin. A quick scan of the beach revealed that Star was down there with Laddie, dancing to the music. She spotted me and waved, before signalling that I should wait there for her.

"Is David waiting?" She asked as she towed Laddie over to me.

"I think we still have a good ten minutes or so before he sends the cavalry after us."

We started walking, Star looking over her shoulder ever few seconds. Following her eye line showed me that she was watching two boys- probably an older and younger brother- who were following us. The younger one was dressed strangely and looked mad as he nagged at his older brother.

Laughter paralysed my senses for a few seconds but they kicked back in just in time. Panic swelled inside me and I stopped in my tracks. Star stopped a few feet ahead of me, confused until she realised why I had stopped.

"You okay?" She asked.

I nodded even though I wasn't. My palms were clammy and I could feel tears stinging my eyes. A few feet ahead of me was the comic book store. Star was observing me with sympathy but Laddie yanked on her hand and she sent me an apologetic look before allowing him to pull her forward.

"You're chasing her." I heard the younger one say as they pulled to a stop ahead of me, "I'm at the mercy of your sex glands, bud."

"Sammy, don't you have anything better to do than follow me around all night?" The older one addressed his brother.

Sammy's face lit up slightly, "Yeah. Actually I do."

Star's admirer was gone the second his brother had finished talking. I wondered if I should go after him: following Star could lead him back to David which would be very dangerous but Star wasn't stupid, she wouldn't lead him into that.

Unless she gave in and made her first kill.

I sighed exasperatedly and leant against a sign that read 'Electricity helps ₵1'. From here I could watch the younger brother- Sammy his brother had called him- as he explored the comic book store. I knew there was a very real possibility that his brother wouldn't be coming back.

I froze as Edgar made himself visible, watching his customer as closely as I was. I scanned the shop frantically for any sign of Alan who turned out to be stood too close to me for comfort. I moved back a little but made sure I still had a good view: if either of my brothers spotted me it was game over.

It had taken them all of two days to figure out that I had become a vampire. What had been their final clue? The constant wearing of sunglasses, my immense migraines that vanished when darkness came or maybe they had seen my half visible reflection in a mirror or window. I had tried to explain to them that I wasn't a full vampire and wouldn't be unless I made a kill but it had been no good.

"Got a problem, guys?" Sammy asked, becoming unnerved by the way they were following him around.

"Just scoping out you civilian wardrobe." Edgar said.

"Pretty cool, huh?"

"Yeah, for a fashion victim." I rolled my eyes at Alan's response; blunt as it was, it was true.

"If you're looking for the diet frozen yogurt bar, it went out of business last summer." Edgar said.

I remembered that. The yogurt bar had survived a year which was twice as long as most stores survived on the boardwalk. There had once been a store that had lasted only three weeks, during which it had been broken into twice.

"I'm looking for a Batman, no 14 actually." Sammy told them and their expressions changed slightly.

"That's a very serious book, man." Edgar spoke.

"Only five in existence." Alan added.

"Four, actually." Sammy corrected, "I'm always looking out for the other three."

I felt my jaw drop slightly, where did he get a Batman, no 14? Alan and Edgar had spent years trying to find one. Sammy immediately started correcting them on the organisation of the shelves which would really annoy them.

"Where the hell are you from, Krypton?" Edgar asked, walking away.

"Phoenix, actually but lucky me, we moved… here."

A crowd of rowdy teens had gathered outside the shop, making it hard for me to hear what the three were saying but Edgar handed Sammy a comic book that I recognised as 'Vampires Everywhere!', a comic book that I'd read only because my brothers had spent months bugging me to.

"Hey!" Alan suddenly yelled and I jumped, snapping my head up, sure that he'd spotted me but I realised that the rowdy crowd had started running, stolen comic books in hand.

Edgar and Alan shouted after them as they started chasing them and I turned and ran back the way I'd come, catching up to Star and Laddie who were also on their way back. Star climbed onto David's bike and Laddie onto Dwayne's. The incident with Edgar and Alan rang in my head as I climbed up behind Marko. As we drove away, I caught sight of Sammy and his older brother, staring after Star with dangerous longing.


	3. Chapter 2

**AN: Thanks for any reviews, follows and favourites, they have really helped me update. Enjoy.**

**Chapter 2**

The cliffs overlooking Santa Carla offered a great view of the beach and boardwalk. The flashing lights of the rides and rollercoasters illuminated my face with flashes of gold and bright neons. The concert was in full swing but the music was impossible to hear from where we sat, hundreds of feet over the sea.

The boys had insisted on coming up here because they claimed to be hungry. As I sat in the shadows of a clump of trees with Star and Laddie, waiting for the boys to make there move and get it over with, my mind wondered to the poor guard they'd killed the previous night in an attempt to make Star and I kill.

Tonight's victims were seated in a small car. They were laughing a little too loudly and it didn't take a genius to guess what they were doing; these cliffs had a reputation as a romantic setting in Santa Carla. However, as annoying as their laughter was, I prayed that it would never end: the sound of their screams would be unbearable.

"You okay?" Star asked but she really meant 'Do you think you can resist it?'

I nodded but the truth was I didn't know. Every night things got gradually harder and I could feel the monster that had been planted inside me trying to tear its way out.

"Me too." Star said but her voice caught in her throat a little.

I could feel the tears building in my eyes; the near miss at the comic book store refused to be pushed from my thoughts. Exhaling exasperatedly, I leant back on my heels, resting my back against a tree trunk.

"Who was that guy following you?" I asked, letting my curiosity take over in a final attempt to erase the night's events.

Star smiled a little at the memory of the night, at least one of us had something to smile about, "I don't know but I kind of like him."

I didn't have the heart to tell her that liking someone was dangerous, deadly, now.

Laddie was sat in Star's lap, demonstrating the strong bond that had formed between them. I couldn't tell whether he looked to Star as a sister, a mother or just a sanctuary he could run to for comfort. Part of me ached to be Laddie's age so that I could get away with the same kind of behaviour.

"What's taking them so long?" Any impatience I had inside me was crushed by the hope that we would sit, frozen in this moment and that the laughing would continue but I had voiced the question anyway, in the hopes that conversation would drown out the screams that the car would inevitably radiate.

Nobody responded because nobody had an answer.

The screaming started seconds later and I immediately clenched my hands into fists, my nails dug into my palms. Star was clutching Laddie close to her and he buried his head in her shoulder. For reasons I couldn't fathom, I risked a look at the car and was met with the sight of a roofless car, the possessions of owners being whipped up by the wind. There was now only one person in the car- a blonde woman who was slinking away from the flying shapes of David, Paul, Dwayne and Marko-so it was clear someone else was already gone.

"How many?" Star mouthed at me.

"Two… I think."

I cast a last look at the woman and realised in horror that I knew her. Or at least I seen her before, not an hour ago. She has been a member of the crowd stealing comic books from the store. One look at the scraps of brightly coloured paper floating in the calming breeze told me they'd managed to outrun Edgar and Alan.

"Are they done?" Star asked.

"I think so." I said; there was no sign of anyone.

Star hauled herself to her feet, Laddie still in her arms and began carrying him away. The three of us made our way towards the wreckage of the car. The roof was peeled back like a can- the sardines inside had already been eaten- and there were now rips in the fabric of the seats.

Star gasped behind me and I didn't blame her: neither of us were aware that this much damage could be inflicted. Even by vampires.

"Is this what we'll become?" Laddie asked and I felt fresh tears in my eyes.

"No." Star and I said in unison, "Not ever."

A 'woop' came from the bushes, signalling that David was happy with the night's hunt and it was time for us all to congregate in the silently decided meeting place. Paul turned out to be the source of the cheering and he bounded out the bushes, a caking of red blood around his mouth. I felt bile rise in my throat but I didn't let it show.

"Hungry?" Paul asked, throwing a denim jacket at us. No guess where he'd acquired the garment.

"I think I just lost my appetite." I replied, trying to keep my eyes of his mouth where his fangs completed the picture of murder and horror.

The smile vanished from Paul's face as Marko and Dwayne emerged from the bushes, laughing wildly about something. Dwayne sent a questioning look at Paul who shook his head.

"You girls wanna join the party?" David asked as he joined the little hoard of vampires he'd created for himself.

"No, we don't." Star muttered, tightening her grip on Laddie who was transfixed by the destroyed car.

"You been ruining the party again, Izzy?" Marko asked.

I gave him the finger and the best glare I could muster under present circumstances but my heart wasn't in it.

David smirked, "Come on, we're going back to the boardwalk. I got a job for you, Star."

Star exchanged a worried look with me, knowing that whatever David had planned wasn't something she wanted to partake in. Paul and Marko laughed and followed David and Dwayne away from the scene.

"Come on, Laddie." Star instructed Laddie and she set him on his feet and led him after them.

Deciding to risk it, I approached the roofless car and stared down at what remained. Perched undisturbed on the seat was a Superman comic that they'd stolen from the store. A small smile played at the corners of my mouth and I hugged the comic to my chest before following Star's footsteps into the night.


	4. Chapter 3

**AN: Sorry it's taken so long to update but I've not had much time to write recently and I didn't want this to be rushed. Hope you enjoy and thanks for reading.**

**Chapter 3**

"Okay, Star." David grinned wickedly, "You know what to do."

The next night, we were back at the boardwalk and David was fed up of waiting for Star to feed… she was going to do it tonight. The only thing we had to do was wait for her intended target to arrive.

"How do you know he'll be here?" Dwayne asked David.

Dwayne had a point: not many people came here twice in a row. However, Star's target had been here last night and he'd had his eye on her so there was a good chance that he'd be back to find her again.

"He'll be here." David assured him.

I wasn't planning on sitting around and watching him walk into his death so I swung my legs onto the ground and made for the entrance.

"Where are you going?" I'd taken no more than three paces when David's voice stopped me.

"I won't be long." Was all I said but it was good enough for David to let me go.

The boardwalk was especially crowded tonight and I could barely see the wooden planks of floor ahead of me. When I was a kid this amount of people would scare me and I'd always imagine to entire boardwalk collapsing into the sea but tonight it was perfect and would help me do just what I needed to.

The comic book store was obvious from a distance as being the place with the smallest crowd. There were about five people cluttered around outside and about seven people inside. Not enough to get in unnoticed.

As I approached, the group of five began to filter in through the doors and I slipped into the crowd, hoping no one saw me. My heart was practically in my throat and I could feel me pulse against my neck. An inspection of the store showed that my parents were- as usual- nowhere to be seen and my brothers were stood at the counter with their backs to me.

By now I could feel the adrenaline coursing through my body and I realised how stupid and dangerous the situation was. I was all set to turn and run back out when I remembered why I was there: the Superman comic stuffed in my jacket.

My mind struggled to remember where this particular comic was kept but my feet seemed to know and they propelled me in the right direction, even having the courtesy of taking the route that best guaranteed my invisibility.

"Iz?" I jumped and didn't dare turn around.

_Shit this is bad. Why did I attempt to do this?_ I was really starting to panic when I realised that it couldn't be Edgar or Alan; it was a female voice. Calming down the slightest bit, I turned and saw Valerie who ran a souvenir shop next door.

"Hey, Val." I whispered.

"Why are you whispering? Where the hell have you been? No one's seen you in months." Val's voice was demanding but concerned.

"I've been… around." I couldn't think of any excuses; I couldn't have been ill for months and we couldn't afford a vacation. "Do you need help with anything?"

"I'm trying to find a birthday present for my nephew…" Val began to describe her nephew's new found interest in comic books and I pretended to listen as I slipped the Superman onto the shelf.

"Well, you might want to ask Alan or Edgar, they're the experts." I suggested, desperate to escape.

Val said something else and then made for the counter, allowing me time to sprint from the shop and breath in the welcoming Santa Carla air. It would only be a matter of time before Val mentioned my presence to one of my brothers and I wanted to be far away from there when that happened.

When I returned to the spot where the group would be waiting, I found that Star was gone which meant that the boy from yesterday had come along.

"What's going on?" I asked Paul as I took a seat behind him on his bike.

"We're waiting for Star, she's gone hunting." Paul replied with a slight grin.

I sent Laddie a look that questioned if Star was okay. He didn't nod but he didn't shake his head either.

When Star reappeared five minutes later, she was following after the nameless boy from yesterday and I could tell from the way she walked that she was fighting the internal battle of whether or not to bite him.

"Hold on." Paul said and I barely had time to register his instruction before he accelerated and I threw my arms around him to prevent being sent flying from the back of the bike. The ride lasted all of ten seconds before we all stopped in front of Star and her companion. He was climbing onto his bike and Star looked like she was too.

"Where are you going, Star?" David asked.

"For a ride." I could hear the fear is Star's voice, "This is Michael."

David's eyes switched Michael and he began mentally assessing him.

"Let's go." Michael offered Star a hand and she began to take it until David stopped her. He only said her name but we both knew that was enough.

A staring match began between David and Michael and I watched Star intently, wondering what she would do. David's authority won out and she crossed to his side. Maybe she thought it would give Michael a chance of survival. That was a long shot.

Paul chuckled and I nudged his back as David and Michael continued to stare each other down. The air was now prickling with electricity. The next person to speak would either confirm the almost inevitable danger that lay in store for Michael, or shatter it.

"You know where Hudson's Bluff is, overlooking the point?" David asked.

_Dammit, he's a dead man._

"I can't beat your bike." Michael replied.

"You don't have to beat me, Michael; you just have to try and keep up."

A race had begun and I knew Michael probably wasn't going to walk away from this: Hudson's Bluff was deadly at the best of times. Once I felt sand beneath the wheels of Paul's bike, I turned to see that Michael had stopped at the top of the stairs. _Give up, Michael _I telepathically pleaded,_ It may be your last chance. _There was no such luck and Michael conquered the steps and carried on after us.

David, Dwayne, Paul and Marko were cheering and laughing as they rode. Their good mood was usually contagious but I was starting to become immune. Star was laughing slightly but that was probably just from the relief that Michael was still breathing.

We cleared the beach, with Michael still on our tails, and entered a wooded area. I hated driving through here, the rocks on the ground always freaked me out and last time we'd come through here a low hanging branch had hit me square in the face. I could almost feel the sting as I locked my eyes of the offending tree.

Paul must have seen it too because he yelled "Mind you head this time, Izzy."

"Shut up!" I punched his back but not too hard.

"He still holding up?" Paul asked over the roar of engines and cheers of vampires.

"Oh yeah, he's still going strong." I said as I checked to see if Michael was still following.

We were almost where David wanted us to be and I felt my stomach tighten at the memory of one too many close calls up here with Marko. We'd been inches from the edge last time but Paul was better at stopping on time so I wasn't too worried.

Michael had overtaken us and was level with David. Now it was just a matter of who stopped first. The cliff edged nearer and I thought for a few horrifying seconds that Michael's determination would land him and his bike in the sea but he pulled back at the last second and fell, landing on top of his bike.

Paul braked helped me from the bike as I heard Michael yell something at David and force himself to his feet.

"No!" Star screamed and Michael punched David in the face with such force that David's head snapped around.

"Oh crap." I muttered. How long had it been since someone had hit David?

Paul, Dwayne and Marko grabbed at Michael but she shrugged them off.

"Just you!" He roared at David.

Laddie's arms closed around my leg and I ran a hand through his hair but couldn't take my eyes off the scene unfolding in front of me.

"How far you willing to go, Michael?" David looked smug and was almost smiling. Terror rose inside me as I realised that I had no idea was David was planning.

"What?" Michael was as confused as I was and Star seemed equally as clueless.

"Come on, Michael. We'll take you back to our place for a while." David said.

Star edged her way over to Laddie and I.

"Is this good or bad?" I asked. On one hand, Michael wasn't dead. Yet. On the other, he might be dead by morning.

"This is so bad." Star answered.


End file.
